knife culture

Today's News
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7590862.stm

This is something that really scares me in the UK at the moment. The idea that you could be walking down a busy city centre and get stabbed (or beaten) for just looking at someone the wrong way even in daylight!

There has been many prevention programs and tv adverts. These are great and I wouldnt want to give comment on any of them unless I had a better idea which I don't. However one thing that strikes me as odd is how can the government expect socially deprived young people to not hurt/stab/kill each other, when that very same government leads by the example of waging war and using violence on other countries that they don't like to get what they want.

Perhaps what we need is more for young people to do in these areas, such as community centres, parks etc, something to give them purpose. But I think we need to be more creative than that, to understand the culture that they live in. Also I truly believe that violence and sex in movies and video games that kids as young as 3 can easily watch is peverting their minds. Afterall whatever we take in through our eyes is what goes into our heart.

There's something very wrong about that and we need to do MORE. Perhaps showing a little bit of God's grace to our countries enemies, could be part of the way to diffuse the whole problem

well done china

I have to say, love them or hate them, I love the olympics. I know they can be cheesy and i know people get fed up with their tvs forcing it down their throat for two weeks. However it is the one of the very few things that can bring every tribe and every tongue on this earth together in more or less harmony. I love the way all kinds of athletes, spectators and cultures come together for one big sporting celebration for 2 weeks every 4 years.

The olympics also brings a healthy competivity where nations can pit their best against each other, mutually enjoy it (win or lose) and not end up killing 1000's of each others citizens. It also allows people a very real opportunity to honour God by use their giftings to the maximum, and maybe even write the history books.

I have to say well done to china for putting this together. Despite all of the international disapproval over political grey areas I really don't understand, massive natural disasters only a few months back and fears of terrorism, this massive communist machine just got the job done and to the highest of standards. This can only be a good ambassador for the country to finally open up its doors to the rest of the world. I'm thankful to God that their were no attacks on the olympics. It's a sad thing that we even after to consider it. China even had an anti missile battery installed on-site in its main stadium.

Well done to GB for doing so well with 19 golds, 13 silver and 15 bronze and err nice try to Ireland. Here's hoping for an even better peaceful olympics in London in 2012.

Lord help us...

Everything seems so pointless when stuff like this happens...

Madrid Plane Crash
20.08.2008






Pakistan Suicide Bomber
21.08.2008






Iraq
all-the-time

Does a woman have a right to choose?

I realise abortion is a very delicate topic on it's own, but even more so for a man to talk about, because what do men know about it right? So I promise before i say anymore, I realise I am a man and I do not wish to offend anybody.

Mel and I were talking about this the other night, and we both would be what is widely considered to be pro-life (which is a fancy term for being against abortion). Then the questions came up about What if a woman was raped? or what if it is a danger to the mothers life? and I can totally understand those points of view, and I can't pretend for one minute that I know how hard it is to be in that position. However, what my gut instinct tells me is that abortion is not of God, fullstop.

In the case of a rape, I believe that almighty God is abundantly more capable of healing a woman from those scars completely. Also the child may bring much blessing to the mother and others around it, and it's hardly fair the child doesn't get the chance to live because of another man's evil-doing. In the case of life-at-risk I feel that we should put our trust in God to be the keeper of our souls. We aren't the ones who decide if we get another breath, not to mention the fact that God would want us to put our complete faith in Him to perform the miraculous and defy medicine. The Bible says he who tries to hold onto his life will surely lose it, but he who gives up his life for the sake of Christ will gain eternal life.

The bottom line, God is the soverignty on life. He is the one who knits us in the womb. He is also the one that returns us to dust. I just don't feel that any human being has the right to decide if another life lives (I believe life begins at conception), and that included the death penalty (but that's a story for another day!). That said, I do not feel it is the place for government to legislate abortion as legal or illegal, as sadly not everyone in this country believes that Christ came to save. As I read in irresistable revolution one thing is important for anyone taking a pro-life status, is that they had better be prepared to adopt some babies and help some single mothers.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/7462934.stm

Caucus trouble

Some when they hear about conflict in the caucuses think "what's new" but things have seemed relatively quiet in recent years in this volitile area. Sadly that changed as Georgia attacked south Ossetia region over alleged terrorist activity then Russia advanced on the Abkhazia region. Georgia is the north neighbour of the country I went to a few years back - Armenia, so I have a particular interest in this area.

Georgia was the 2nd country in the world suceeding Armenia to adopt Christianity as it's officical national religion in 312AD. It's a shame some of it's ancestory values haven't been adopted by this tiny forgotten about little country.

America has condemned the russian aggression on Georgia and has demanded their troops to fall back to Russia. Bush called it bullying a country trying to live in the free world (after seeking independance from the soviet union over a decade back). I thought to myself isn't Bush one to talk? What does he call Iraq then? He bullied his nations values and democracy on a small, comparatively defensiveless country just because he didn't like what was going on there? I am not saying that Georgia is on a par with Iraq, not even close, but the idea remains the same.

It's frightening however, how effective the Russian aggression was, much more so than the coalitions efforts were in the middle east. Perhaps that is what caused America to act. Or perhaps it was the fact that Georgia is a key ally in the transport of oil from east to west? Whatever the reasons, I pray that this conflict ends here, because I think this has the potential to escalate internationally, and the hundreds of lives lost already makes it tragic enough.

Today in Northern Ireland we marked the 10th anniversary of the omagh bombing disaster. This was an abominadable act, and it is right the the lives lost should be remembered. It got me thinking however, that we have rightly made such a big deal out of the 30 deaths that occurred in this one incident, but these kinds of incidents are happening everyday in Iraq where scores have lost their lives and we barely bat an eyelid? We need to put a face to these people like we have for Omagh in order to motivate people for change. I praise God that He moving is our little nation closer to reconcilliation and I can only pray that our example can be a light to the rest of a world in conflict.

Back in Georgia, this whole conflict is about two disputed pieces of land that both Georgia and Russia have both staked a claim on, but the actual population of the two regions just want independance from them both! It's an incredibly sad thing that nations wage war over something as trivial as land. Surely in God's kingdom there are no borders?

job hunting

Since graduation in June from Maths and Computer Science I have been scaling the job market to finally get myself a 'real job'. So far I have completed 12 applications, 8 of which were unsuccessful, 2 are still pending, another 2 I got invited to attend an interview, and one of those I finally received a job offer - praise God - that being from the Northern Bank (which I have subsequently taken).

What I can not understand is the age-old argument of experience. Everywhere I looked it was 2 years experience this, 1 years experience that. How is anyone supposed to gain said experience if no-one is willing to give them that chance? I heard Great Victoria Street Spar had over 100 applications for just 2 customer advisor positions. The way they filtered the applications was to separate them into experience and non-experience and then binned the non-experience. What has the world come to? You don't need experience for a bottom-of-the-food-chain shop job, where you pack out shelves and serve on tills!

The reason for all of this is that I am giving consideration to doing a second degree in Youth & Community Work with Applied Theology to qualify me with the lawfully required JNC to work with young people. I do not wish to go further into debt so I am going to work this year to help pay for this 2 year course. It's amazing how unrelated all this is to Maths & Computer Science, but I guess that is how God works sometimes. It's for that very reason that I am keeping an open heart for the gentle whisper of God that could blow my plans completely out the window, because I really want this to be all about Him (see my post on Matthew 7 : 21-23). So please pray...

"All of my ambitions hopes and plans, I surrender these into your hands"

West Cork

I had the pleasure of spending the last week on the Sheep's head (see below) near Bantry in West Cork. It took me over 12 hours and multiple bus journeys to get from Dollingstown to Bantry via Belfast, Dublin Airport, Dublin and Cork (see above). This magical place is less popular than others on our little Island but it has quickly become my favourite.

There is much to do around here such as fishing on Bantry Bay (see right), sailing in Adrigole, the market in Bantry, visit the many towns & islands, Ceiledh's in many local pubs, eating out at the many lovely restaurants around, climbing mountains (only in Ireland would you find mountains names Hungry Hill & Sugar Loaf!), or simply just savouring the local scenery which in my opinion is the best the country has to offer.


One place I have yet to go but would love to is Sherkan Island. I hear it has beautiful sandy beaches and an amazing surf!